Cuff link



llg- 22, 1950 D. BURR, JR 2,519,821

CUFF LINK UL@ U UK@ r' l n mj f my .IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/ 20'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Patented Aug. 22, 1950 CUFF LINKLester Douglas Burr, Jr., Foxboro, Mass., assigner to R. F. SimmonsCompany, Attleboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationJuly 9, 1946, Serial No. 682,272

3 Claims.

This invention relates to cuff-links or cuffbuttons and consists in anovel and improved construction therefor. The present device maycomprise a Xed ornamental head with a shank or post projecting atright-angles thereto and a pair of cross-members pivoted to the upperend of the post to adapt them to be rocked into alinement therewith forinsertion through the buttonholes of a cuff and to be thereafter turnedat right-angles or normal to the post to hold the parts of the culitogether.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting for thepivotal members at the end of the post with resilient means containedtherein for yieldably retaining the crossmembers in either position towhich they may be turned.

Another object is to provide a culi-link or cuinbutton of the typeindicated having a hollow post formed of folded complementary sectionswith a pair of cross-members pivoted at its outer end, bearing elementswithin the post engaging the pivot of the cross-members and a novel typeof spring for actuating said vbearing members to control the swinging orrocking motion of the crossemembers.

Another object is to provide a culi-link or cuif-button of the typeindicated having a tubular post with a transverse opening at its end forreceiving a pintle or pivot provided with flat faces on its sides,cross-members mounted on the ends of the pivot at the sides of the post,bearing elements engaging the pivot, and a corrugated or multi S-shapedspring acting to press said bearing elements together to control theturning movement of the pivot and thereby the rocking motion of thecross-members.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecication which describes a preferred form of construction of theimproved cuff-link or cuff-button as illustrated by the accompanyingdrawing.

1n the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View of the present improved cuff-link orculi-button;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partsectional through a portionof its ornamental head and showing one of the cross-members as removedfrom its pivot on the post;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View of the cufflinlr. taken in a planecommon to the longitudinal axis of its post;

Fig. 4 is a similar sectional View looking in a direction opposite tothat of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed View 0f the hollow post of the cuff-link or buttonshowing it as partly formed; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical view of a modified form of the culi-link taken in aplane common to the axis of its post and showing another form ofconstruction oi the bearing elements which control the pivotal movementof the cross-members.

Various types of cuii-linlrs or cuff-buttons comprising a fixed headwith a post projecting therefrom and a crossememc-er or members pivotedto its end have heretofore been used in the art. Most of these priordevices, however, have not been of ornamental or artistic appearance dueto the fact that the mechanical elements for controlling the pivotalmovement of the crossmembers at the ends of the post have beenconspicuously exposed to view and subject to interference and distortionto render them impractical and unreliable in use. The present inventioncontemplates a form of construction in which the shank or post or the cu-linlr or button is of tubular form with a pair of cross-members pivotedat its outer end and novel resilientlyoperated means are enclosed withinthe post so that all the mechanical elements are entirely concealed fromView and protected against disarrangement.

In the present drawing l illustrates the improved cuff-link or button ascomprising a fixed head 2 which may be of ornamental conguration and ahollow shank or post 3 projecting centrally therefrom. A pair ofcross-members Il, herein shown as of substantially lenticular shape, arepivoted to the end of the post 3 abutting the opposite sides thereof toadapt them to be normally held in position at right-angles thereto or tobe rocked or turned into alinement therewith as indicated by thedash-lines in Fig. 2.

The head 2, shown as of circular outline, is preferably constructed fromsheet-metal stamped out with a cupped base-portion 5, to which is joineda substantially flat disk-like plate 6 having its marginal portion lshaped to intert and engage with the cupped rim 8 of the base. Thecentral portion of the plate 6 may be crowned slightly as shown at 9 andformed with a slot I6 for receiving a pair of lugs I!! projecting fromthe bottom of the post 3, a permanent connection being made between thepost and the head by soldering or other means. The post 3 is preferablyconstructed from a channel-shaped strip, see Fig. 5, which is cut awayat the center to adapt it be bent or folded into two legs I4. When thelegs I4 are brought together with the edges of their sides or :flangesI5 in abutting relationship as shown in Fig. 2, a tubular member isprovided having one end closed and the lugs l adapted to be insertedthrough the slot I5 in the plate 6 of the head 2 and soldered thereto.Oppositely-disposed pointed prongs Il at the ends of the tubular post 3are bent at right-angles as shown in Figs. 4 and 6 to form a step orholding means for a spring 26 to be later described.

The two cross-members t which forrn the outer head of the cuff-link orbutton are mounted fast on the end of a pintle or pivot 2| whichprojects through circular holes 22 in the sides of the post 3; it beingnoted by reference to Fig. 5 that the holes 22 are formed bysemi-circular recesses inl the flanges of the two legs le of the channelstrip. The cross-members l may be xedly secured to the ends of the pivot2l and the latter then inserted into the recesses in the flanges of thelegs i/ before the legs are bent close together with their edges inabutting relationship.

As before indicated, the turning movement of the cross-bars or members lis controlled by a pair of bearing elements engageable with thesquare-shaped pivot 2i and acted upon by a spring 25 enclosed within thepost 3. As shown in Fig. 3 a bearing block 2li of relatively hard ortempered metal is placed within the hollow post seated against itsclosed end, this element being inserted in the end of the post beforethe pivot 2l is placed in the holes or openings 22 in the sides of thepost. A second somewhat larger bearing element or block 25 is insertedinto the hollow of the post 3 after the pivot 2l is in place andthereafter the spring is introduced into the hollow of the post to adaptit to bear againstv the end of the larger block 25, with its lower endseated on and supported by the prongs Il at the foot of the post. Thespring 2G is preferably of a novel shape as shown in Fig. 3, that is, itis constructed of a relatively wide and comparatively thick strip ofhardened metal corrugated to form oppositely-extending loops 2% and 2.In other words, it may be comprised of a plurality of S- shaped sectionsformed from a continuous strip. It will be apparent that with the spring26 held under tension within the post 3 with one end seated on theprongs l? and its opposite end bearing against the larger block 25, itwill exert pressure tending to slide the block toward the bearingelement 2li to resist the turning movement of the pivot 2l andcross-members E. As shown in Fig. 3 the two bearing elements 24 and maybe formed with slight depressions or \Jshaped notches 2S and 3S adaptedto be engaged by the sharp corner-edges or" the rectangularly-shapedpivot 2i against turning movement in the holes 22. As shown in Figs. 2and 3, the pivot 2l is disposed at an angle of ninety degrees withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the cross-members 4 so that thediagonally-arranged edges of the pivot'Zl engage with the notches 22 and3Q to maintain the cross-members l in normal position relatively of thepost 3.

When it is desired to insertv the cuff-link through the button-holes ofa culi, the crossmernbers Li may be turned into theV position indicatedby the dash-lines in Figs. 2 and 3" to aline them with the post 3,thereby providing-for an easy entr-ance of the post through thebuttonholes due to the tapered.v contour of thgcrossmembers. During thisturning movementor'roclcing of the crossmembers-i` the edgesof the pivot2i will be caused to ride out of the notches 29 vand 36 as the bearingelement 25 is slid down'- wardly in the post 3 againstithe tensionoff'the to restrain the latter l spring 20. It is obvious that duringthe rocking of the crossnmembers 4 and the sliding action of the bearingelement 25 as it recedes from the opposite bearing element 24 the pivot2| must be displaced slightly, that is moved toward the fixed head 2 ofthe button and this is provided for by forming the holes 22 in the sidesof the post large enough to insure a clearance around the edges of thepivot. If desired, the holes 22 may be made slightly elongated orelliptical in shape with the major axis coinciding with the longitudinalaxis of the post.

In the form of construction shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the bearingelements 3! and 32 have straight or planar faces for engagement with theat sides of the rectangular pivot 2|. In this embodiment of theinvention the pivot is disposed with two of its flat slides parallel tothe longitudinalaxis of the cross-members P. so that the bearing membersnormally maintain the members in the position illustrated in Fig. 6, ornormal to the axis of the post 3. When the crossmembers ll are turnedinto alinement with the post 3 the opposite square sides of the pivot 2!will be engaged by the straight sides of the bearing elements .3l and32, thus operating to yield ably hold the cross-members in eitherposition to which they may be adjusted.

It will be observed from the foregoing speciication that the presentinvention provides a novel and ingenious construction for cuff-links andcuff-buttons which results in considerable improvement in the art. Bythe use of the bearing elements engaging with the pivot of thecrossmembers at the end of the post, said cross-members are held intheir different positions yieldably yet with considerable resistanceagainst accidental or unwarranted turning of the members either beforebeing inserted through the cuff or after having been adjusted to holdthe button in place. The present novel form of spring used forresiliently operating the bearing members possesses considerableimprovement over other types, such as helical Wire springs, due to thefact that it can be made of` more substantial material, that is, ofconsiderable width and thickness so that it will not lose itsrtensionunder repeated exing or compression. As a further feature ofimprovement, the bearing elements engaging aga-inst thel pivot tend toprevent any play or back-lash in the latter so that the cross-membersare maintained substantially rigid 'in whatever position t0 which' theyare adjusted without undue looseness. The present improved cuff-link orbutton further is of more ornamental and attractive appearance due tothe fact that all of its mechanical elements are enclosed and concealedfrom view', thereby also tending to prevent interference therewith andderangement thereof during the use of the article.

While the present improved cuff-link or button is herein shown anddescribed as embodied in only two preferred forms of construction, it isto be understood that various further modifications may be made in theform and arrangement of its parts without departing from the spirit orscope of the invention as expressed in the following claims. Therefore,without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

l. A cuff-link comprising a head, a hollow'post projecting from saidhead, said post constructed of sheet-metal formed to U-shape incross-section and folded at the center to provide two legs arranged withthe edges of their side flanges abutting and connectedby a cross-stripproviding a closure at one end, a circular opening formed in theopposite folded sides of the post, a pivotpin projecting through saidopening to adapt it to rotate therein, said pivot-pin being ofrectangular shape in cross-section, a pair of crossmembers fastened tothe ends of the pivot-pin to adapt them to assume a position normal tothe post and to be turned into alinement therewith for insertion throughthe buttonholes in a cuil, a plate-like member in the closed` end of thepost abutting the cross-strip, a block slidable in the post on theopposite side of the pin from the plate, and a spring tensioned in thepost beneath the block to force it against the pivot-pin to normallyretain the cross-members in either position to which they may be turned.

2. A cuff -link or cuff-button comprising a head, a hollow postprojecting from the head, said post constructed of sheet-metal bent intoU-shape in cross-section and folded at the center to provide two opposedsides arranged with the edges of their lateral flanges in abuttingrelationship to provide a tubular structure closed at one end by thecross-strip of metal connecting the two sides of the post, a circularopening in the sides of the post at the closed end thereof form-ed bysemi-circular perforations in the abutting flanges of its sides, a plateheld in the closed end of the post abutting the cross-strip joining itssides, a pivot-pin of rectangular shape in cross-section projectingthrough the opening in the sides of the post and. rotatable therein toadapt one of its flat sides to engage the inner face of the plate, ablock slidable in the post and adapted to engage an opposite flat sideof the pivot-pin, a spring in the post constructed of a flat strip ofmetal bent into serpentine form with a plurality of U-shaped lobes, saidspring fixed at its lower end with its opposite end held under tensionengaging against the block to slide the latter to engage it with a sideof the pivot-pin, and a pair of cross-m-embers mounted on the ends ofthe pivotpin to adapt them to extend at right-angles to the post withthe slidable block and plate engaging opposite sides of the pivot-pin toyieldingly hold the cross-members in different positions of adjustment,said cross-members being manually rotatable with the pin to aline themwith the post as the spring yields to allow the block to slide torelease th-e pivot-pin.

3. A culi-link or cuff-button as described in claim 1 wherein the plateat the end of the post and the slidable block are each formed withV-shaped notches for engaging the edges of the rectangular pivot-pin tohold the cross-members in -either normal relation to the post or rockedinto alinement therewith.

LESTER DOUGLAS BURR, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,183,710 Zongaro May 16, 19161,333,228 Stuart Mar. 9, 1920 1,790,706 Hill Feb. 3, 1931 1,838,851Leach Dec. 29, 1931 1,950,711 Carlson Mar. 13, 1934 2,093,723 Home Sept.21, 1937 2,097,373 Hoeckele Oct. 26, 1937 2,177,443 Schupbach Oct. 24,1939

